Dhaka, Jan 8 – Tentulia Upazila of Panchagarh the northernmost district of Bangladesh on Monday morning experienced 2.6 degree Celsius, the lowest temperature of in 50 years, with poor people hard bearing the real brunt.The lowest temperature in Dhaka was recorded 9.3 degree Celsius in the morning which is 0.7 degree Celsius below the lowest average level for the capital.
Zakir Hossain, an official at the Tentulia Meteorological observatory, said the mercury fell to 2.6 degrees Celsius in the morning.
The lowest temperature in the country’s history was recorded at 2.8 degrees Celsius in Srimangal in 1968, he said.
Bangladesh Met office recorded the same morning 2.9 degree Celsius temperature in Saidpur Upazila in Nilphamari district.
Poor people, particularly the farmers and rickshaw-pullers, have been suffering badly as a cold wave is sweeping across the country for the last few days. Children and elderly people have been the worst sufferers.
Meanwhile, at least two elderly women died in Thakurgaon on Saturday besides three others in Kurigram overnight as the northern districts bore the brunt of a cold wave crossing over of the country.
The deceased in Thakurgaon were identified as Jahura, 70, wife of Mobarak Ali of Thakurgaon village in Sadar Upazila and Sakina, 90, wife of Dabirul Islam, of Goalpara in the district town. Thakurgaon Civil Surgeon Dr Abu Mohammad Khairul Kabir confirmed the deaths to UNB.
Three more deaths caused by the cold in Kurigram brought the total number of deaths reported there to five in the last 48 hours. While the first two victims were a toddler and a newborn, the latest victims included two adults – Biswa Deb Roy (30) and Anwar Hossain (55), suggesting an uptick in the weather’s severity. The third victim was Dulali, daughter of Abdus Sattar, who was only 21 days old.
Resident Medical Officer (acting) of Kurigram Sadar Hospital Dr Jahangir Alam said the three latest victims were all brought there between 10 pm on Friday and 1230am on Saturday morning. According to him, they all were dead on arrival.
The temperature in Kurigram is again expected to drop to 7 degrees Celsius by 5 am on Sunday morning, from an almost balmy 14 degrees Celsius at present, according to Accuweather.
Meanwhile, the lowest temperature of the day, 5.8 degrees Celsius recorded in Chuadanga and Rajshahi districts on Saturday. Residents of those districts have been forced to endure untold suffering due to the persistent cold weather.
With children and the elderly disproportionately affected, the incidence of cold-related diseases has reportedly been rapidly increasing.
The cold wave limited their outdoor activities to only basic necessities.
Sources at Met Office in Chuadanga and Rajshahi said the country’s lowest temperature of this year has been recorded in the two districts in the morning.
In Kurigram, the life has become at a standstill for past few days. People are avoiding stepping outside of the home without any important cause and after evening the roads and markets are almost deserted.
